Mouldy Compost?

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longers

Legendary Member
I went to pot up some some bits today and the compost left from last year has gone mouldy.

I'm wondering if it's ok to use up or should I wang it on the compost heap and replace with fresh stuff?

It's a whiteish wispy sort of mould that goes right through it and I think the compost might be based on coconut shells from memory, but could be wrong.

Any ideas please?
 

rich p

ridiculous old lush
Location
Brighton
Could it have been mushroom compost? That has something beginning with 'my.....' IIRC.
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
I went to pot up some some bits today and the compost left from last year has gone mouldy.

I'm wondering if it's ok to use up or should I wang it on the compost heap and replace with fresh stuff?

It's a whiteish wispy sort of mould that goes right through it and I think the compost might be based on coconut shells from memory, but could be wrong.

Any ideas please?

The whiteish wispy growth you describe is simply a mycelium which is the vegetative of a fungus. It absorbs water and nutrients for the fungus. Mostly we are more familiar with the fruiting body, a mushroom for example.

It's unlikely the growth poses any threat to your plants. The main issue will be the compost could be waterlogged and any nutrient it contained leached out during the winter.

I chucked two half used bags on my compost heap yesterday. It will do more good there than in your pots.
 

Pat "5mph"

A kilogrammicaly challenged woman
Moderator
Location
Glasgow
The whiteish wispy growth you describe is simply a mycelium which is the vegetative of a fungus. It absorbs water and nutrients for the fungus. Mostly we are more familiar with the fruiting body, a mushroom for example.

It's unlikely the growth poses any threat to your plants. The main issue will be the compost could be waterlogged and any nutrient it contained leached out during the winter.

I chucked two half used bags on my compost heap yesterday. It will do more good there than in your pots.

Agree, I would maybe use it to mulch roses?
 

Ecclefechan

New Member
mealyb01.JPG


Did it look similar to this? If it is, its a Fungi caused by Root Mealybugs infestation, they kill plants, vegetables other shrubbery, by eating at their roots, and it quickly spreads. So it is best just to get a new bag of compost, by using it, it will just kill your plants.

Or If it looks like this,

Mushroom%27s_roots_%28myc%C3%A9lium%29.jpg


This is Mycelium, Its a fungi caused by dampness and using the nutrient. Its still usable, however will not nourish your plants as well as new plants as it will have absorbed nutrients as it grows.


Either way its still better to pop over to B&Q and pick up a new bag,

Got Highers in Bio-technology, and in parts of the course dealt with boring Cr@p like this,
Cheers
Mark
 

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PaulSB

Legendary Member
Got Highers in Bio-technology, and in parts of the course dealt with boring Cr@p like this,
Cheers
Mark

Got 38 years in professional horticulture.

Boring crap like you described is a mycelium unless you're astonishingly unlucky.

Root mealy bug "fungus" looks like cotton wool.
 

Ecclefechan

New Member
Got 38 years in professional horticulture.

Boring crap like you described is a mycelium unless you're astonishingly unlucky.

Root mealy bug "fungus" looks like cotton wool.

This man, Listen to him instead. That is all.
 
OP
OP
longers

longers

Legendary Member
Ta for the answers, I'll go with it being the mycelium and use it in the bottom of a large pot as ballast.
 
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